Chaeles b



(Model.-)

C. B. GLARK. 1'100R SPRING.

N0. 244,184. y Patented Julyl2, 1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES B. OLARK, OF DETROIT, MIOHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE OLARK HARDWARE OOMPANY, OF SAME PLAGE.

DOOR-SPRING.

SPECIFICA'IIQN forming pa.rt of Letters Patent N0. 244,184, dated J'u1y 12, 1881,

Application file(1 May 7, 1881 T0 all whom z't mag; concem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. OLARK, a citizen 0f the United States, residing ab Detroit, in the eounty of W'ayne and. State 0f Miohigan, have invented new and useful Im provements in Door-Springs, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

This invention relates to thai: dass of door and gate springs which have one end secured to or near the hinged sge of the door 0r gate and the other end t0 a part of the door-frame or t0 a post, the spring beingnndera torsional strain and serving to normally keep the door or gate in a elosed. position.

The objeci: 0f this invention is t0 provide a door-spring in which the tension of the spring can be adjusted in an exceedingly simple manner by a ratehet-head and a gravitating locking pawl or dog withont the necessity 0f separatin g the parts of the structi1re, and without iiability of any 0f the part s becoming disengaged and lost. These objects I accomplish by the struc'ture illustrated in the aceompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents an elevat-ion of' my improved door-spring applied to a door; Fig. 2, detaehed perspective views 0f the top bracket,ratchet-head and gravitat-ingloeking-pawl;

and Fig. 3, a verbical sectional view through the top bracket, with ehe parts in proper relative position.

The 1etter A indicates a spirai spring, the 1ower end of which is coiled around and se cured t0 the cylindrical stud of the bracket a by .any of the well-knwn maans. 'lbe upper end of the spring is coiled. around the cylindrical shank b of the head B, and is permanently and rigidly connected therewithby depressing the end of tixe spring into a cavity, c, formed in said shank. The shank rests within a circular opening formed. through the top bracket, O, und the latter is provided with a flat upward-projecting flange, d, havin g an aperture, d, through which a screw can ba passed f0r attaching it in p1ace 0n the (100rframe. The head B is extended lateraily around its shank I), t0 form an annular shoulder or ledige, which rests 011 and is supported by the upper bxacket, O, and. the upper surface of the head is formed. or provided with two an gu1ar grooves or reeesses, e e, which (Model.)

cross each other am]. extend transversely across the head, thereby forming four raised projections 0r teeth, f, the adjacen faces 0f which are square, while they are beveled 0r inclined downward a-t their outer margins, lezwing at their inner margins 0r corners elevated lugs, and the whole constitutin g a ratchet-head capable of being rotated within the circular openin g of the bracket O, for adjusting the tension of the coiled spring.

The letzter D indicates the gravitating paw1 or dog, which rests againsi; the flat face of the flange d, and is provided ab its lower end with a laterally-projecting 1ip, h, which serves to limit: the vertical movement 01 displacement of the paw1 by said 1ip eomingin contact with the edge h of 1;he braeket. The upper end 0t' the pawl or d0g is provided With an opening, z, the objeco 0f whieh 1's to permit the passage of the screw through the aperture d 0f the bracket in.attaching the latter t0 the (100rframe. This pawl 0r dog rests and slides upon the flange d in rear 0f the ratchet-head B, and is provided with a tooth 01 paWl-shaped stop,

l, whieh projects outward and engages the teeth of the ratchet-head, in order 110 10011 or hold. the same in its adj usted position; anti in order to'guide said pawl 0r (log in its movements and to sustain it: againsu the torsion of the spring, the flange d is provided with side projections, a one 011 each side, which bear against the edges of the pawl.

The ratchet-head can be rotated to adjust the tension 0f the spring by simply inserting a pin, nail, 0r other instrument in one 0f the grooves e, and then swinging the pin or nail around.

It Will be observed thal: in a door-spring possessing the constructiondescribed tl1e simple rotation of the ratchet-head in the proper direction serves to automatieally raise the paw1 to perrnii: a ratuhet-tooth to pass by the same, and that said pawl falls by gravity into position behind the tooth for 1ockin g the ratchet-head in its adjusted position. By means 0f this gravitating pawl or dog ic.will therefor e be evident that the rotary head is automatica1ly loeked in its adjusted position, whereby I avoid the employment of removable and replaceable locking-pins or collars usually employed in this dass of springs, which are very objeetionable, owing to the diffieulty and inconvenience of manipulating then1 with the fingers and theliability of their becoming disenga-ged and lost.

A door-spring constructed in accordance with my invention is compact: in form, simple in strueture, am]. the parts, when onee placed in operative position 0n a (1001, cannot become disengaged 01 separated.

While I have illustrated the racchet-head as .pr0Vided with two transverse grooves and four ratchet-teeth, it will, 0f course, be evident that this construct-ion ca.n be varied and 1n0re 0r less teeth employed as found neces sary 012 desirable.

What I elaim isl. In a door-spring, the combination 0f a ratchethead rigidly connected. with the end. of a coiled spring and arranged to be rotated in a supporting-bracket With a gravitating pawl 01 (g arranged 0n said bra.eket und disconneeted from the coiled spring, and arranged t0 automatically engage and disengage the ratchet-head to lock or hold the 1atter in its adjusted position, substantially as described.

2. A door-spring cornbining in its structure a ratchet-head rigidly conneeted with one end of the eoiled spring am]. arranged to be rotated within a supportiug-bracket, and a. vertically-sliding pawl or dog arranged between the bracket and ratchet-head, .and proflded with a tooth 01 stop Which automatically en gages the ratehetx-head t0 10ck or hold it in its adj usted position, substantially as described.

In a door -spring, the ratchet-head arranged within the supportingbracket, and provided with a shank rigidly connected with the end of the coiled spring, and having on its upper end the transverse grooves 01' recesses and inclined teeth, in combination with TXGSSCS.

CHARLES B. OLARK. Witnesses:

HENRY O. HART, W. J. MILLER. 

